Making war, not friends
by Moltie
Summary: Voldemort has just been defeated and Harry is settling down, pleased with a new life, with Ginny. But one night Draco Malfoy knocks on his door, with news that makes them both go travelling, to stop a threat they don't even know.
1. Chapter 1

It was just past sunset when the man in dark clothing, and with a silvery robe which flooded like moonlight behind him in the wind walked past all the houses and coffee shops in the small town, only to stop in front of one house which looked like no ordinary house, only just like the rest of them. The man stopped, as if he had to make sure he was actually at the right place, considering it would be easy to make a mistake now. All the houses looked the same, even more now when it was dark, and the man seemed confused. From his pocket he took out a small piece of white paper with some writing on it, and then he looked at the number above the house door. Apparently he was at the right house, because with his other hand, not holding the piece of paper, he rang the door bell. A soft light suddenly lit inside the house, and then movement inside proved that the house wasn't empty. The man smiled when the door opened.

"Oh Draco."

A woman with red hair, tall, and dressed in a night gown and a bathrobe, ready to go to bed greeted the man. Draco bowed his head lightly, as more of a fun gesture than a polite one.

"Ginny. Sorry to bother this late, but you know how it is these days. Harry home?"

The woman, named Ginny nodded, before stepping aside so that Draco could enter. He did so, and put his robe on a coat hanger. He looked around in the house.

"You've redecorated since last time." He said, after watching some new ornaments and mostly paintings. Ginny grimaced.

"Not us, but James seemed to find it fit to draw on all the walls. We tried to get rid of it, but the kid must've had some special crayons, because it won't budge. I'll blame his uncle George for it."

Draco shook his head as he laughed.

"Kids, I guess."

"Not something you'd like to have?"

Without the other two noticing, Harry had entered the room and now he watched them, especially Draco, with his arms crossed over his chest. Draco turned around and looked pleased to see him there.

"Finally. I thought you'd gone to bed already. But I can see you waited up for me. That was nice, Harry."

Harry patted his old friend on the back.

"Oh I had nothing better to do anyway. Don't think about it, mate."

Draco looked at Harry and then at Ginny, who was still in the room, but had a look on her face like she didn't know if she was in the way, or if she should stay there. Draco looked back at Harry, who seemed to be thinking in the same ways.

"What was it that you wanted to talk about?" he asked Draco.

"I'll go get you some tea" Ginny said. Draco wasn't sure if she just wanted an excuse to leave the room without asking about it, but it really didn't matter, considering it was Harry he needed to talk about, and tea could always be nice after a long day of travelling. Harry pointed at some chairs in front of a fire place, and Draco sat down in one of them, as Harry sat down in the one opposite to his. They looked at each other for a while.

"So… are you gonna tell me?" Harry asked, and Draco could see a bit of worry in his eyes. "Your letter sounded serious, but I wasn't sure what to believe. The threat is over, isn't it? It can't be any danger now, Voldemort is gone, his death eaters are all in jail… so what is it?"

Draco looked at the doorway, as if he wanted to make sure no one could hear them, then he leaned in closer to Harry.

"Did you hear about the rumors?" he whispered, and then he looked at the doorway again, like he was sure Ginny would walk in on them any minute, and hear things he didn't want her to hear. Harry looked puzzled and shook his head.

"Rumors? No, what kind of rumors? I haven't really been to the office for a while now, you know, being busy with James and… you know. But if it was serious, they would've told me, wouldn't they?"

Draco shook his head and then he looked at Harry with as much of a serious look as he could put on.

"Well, rumor has it, that defeating Voldemort wasn't really enough. There's more to it."

"More? Damn Draco, I'm sorry, but what are you talking about? Voldemort is gone, I witnessed his death myself, as you may remember. And as far as I recall, picking up the death eaters one by one after that wasn't really that difficult. So what is it now?"

Draco felt a bit irritated that Harry didn't seem to think that what he had to say was important, but he took a deep breath and continued on, without resentment in his voice.

"It's because it's not really a threat to us here, at the moment. But as I said, I've heard rumors, gossip, if you want to, from many of my contacts and there seem to be problems not here, but up way in the north, where things are stirring."

Harry looked confused and now he looked at the doorway as well, Draco wasn't sure if he too wanted Ginny to stay out of it, or if he wished she would show up with tea and explain to him what it was Draco was talking about.

"I'm sorry, I still don't know what you're talking about. Seems like… No, I really don't even know what to say, can't you explain?"

Draco looked around at the walls in the room, and then in the fireplace, where an old fire was dying.

"Are you sure no one is listening?" he hissed and Harry nodded.

"Who would that be?" he asked. "Only ones here, except for you and me, is Ginny out with the tea in the kitchen and James, and he's asleep and only a toddler, not much of a threat to you, right? Now, tell me, unless you want me to be even more confused. And you know how I'm not really good at guessing games."

Draco sighed but then he looked like it was enough to trust, and then he opened his mouth.

"They say he sent some people over there."

Harry leaned in closer.

"Voldemort?" he mouthed, and Draco nodded.

"To a secret school, which no one knew of. And the last thing I've heard is that he left some very specific instructions on what they should do if his plans failed."

"Do you mean…"

"Harry." Draco said, and now he looked dead serious. "My contacts in different wizard ministries thinks that they much likely are doing something to follow up on Voldemorts original plan. I think we're facing a secret army."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

Harry just stared at Draco for a moment, as if he was unsure of what to believe, even though Draco had spent the last ten minutes trying to explain everything to him. Harry felt like his head was spinning. Of course he had even during his years at Hogwarts been aware of that there must be a lot of other witches and wizards in other countries, and that they too, like they did, needed schools, but the thought of something secret, an army…. Harry felt that it was difficult to believe that there was still people out there, even though Voldemot had fallen a second time, who wanted to finish what he started.

"So how sure are you…" Harry started, but Ginny entered the room carrying tea and scones for them to snack on, and he didn't want to talk about this in front of her. Not that Ginny was the one who were easily scared, but they had James now and he didn't think she would be just as calm about a threat, knowing that it might affect him. Ginny looked at them as she put the food and drinks on a table right next to the chairs, as if she wanted to ask them what was going on.

"I'm gonna go check on James." She said, and disappeared again. Harry was sure that wasn't what she'd intended to say, but there was no time to explain even if she had asked, and looking at Draco, Harry wasn't sure that it would be okay to tell her anyway.

"I trust my sources." Draco said, and sipped on the tea. "Also, a thing like this isn't just something that is made up, or misunderstood. Something is going on, and I doubt that it's good. Voldemort sent people away for a reason. That it was this though… I didn't expect it."

"You said something about a school." Harry said. "Why would he send people to a school? A school must be taken care of, right? It's not just something that you could just visit and then take over. Don't they have personnel there? Teacher, headmaster, school board?"

"That's the thing." Draco bit his lip, as if this was unpleasant to talk about. "Voldemort's terror was of course known in other parts of the world than Great Britain, but still, outside these borders, people don't really know just how bad he and his death eaters can be."

"But…" Harry started, but the words disappeared from his mouth. It was hard to believe that some people wouldn't know about Voldemort, but then again, he surely didn't know about everything going on in the world, so it probably wasn't that strange. Maybe it was hard to understand when you weren't living close to it. Draco drank the last of his tea and put down the cup on the table.

"They want us to go." He said, and looked at Harry who had just swallowed a sip of tea. "The ministry. You, an auror, expert on Dumbledore and me, former man on the inside, you know. They think that the two of us could figure out what's going on."

"Wait a minute." Harry said and raised his hand in a stop-this-right-now gesture. "The two of us, leaving, to find a school we're not even sure it exists? How are we supposed to do that, no matter how great experts we are? If I'm not mistaken, the wizarding world are really great at hiding themselves if they don't want to be seen. So wouldn't it be even more difficult then, to find something we're not sure about?"

Draco nodded before looking at the doorway again, to see if Ginny decided to come back to them.

"Yeah it's difficult. Which is why they sent me to ask you, I don't know, they think I can talk you into it."

Harry didn't look very sure.

"A mission like this… It means I have to leave Ginny and James for a long time, doesn't it?"

Draco nodded again, and Harry didn't look delighted about the fact.

"I've never been away from them a long time." He said slowly as he tried to remember when he had been. "Only a few days, and I didn't like that. And Ginny… what am I supposed to say to her?"

"It's the ministry's orders." Draco said and got up from the chair, like he was getting ready to leave now that he had explained it all to him. "I know it's not the perfect scenario, but if we don't find this, and if it is true, all things true, than it will be a catastrophe if we can't find away to stop it. The ministry seems to think that we're the best to do it. Or, don't you wanna go with me?" he smirked but stopped when he saw that Harry was indeed doubtful about the whole thing.

"I'm not sure I can…" Harry said and looked at the wall, as if he wanted to see through it to James' room, and Ginny, probably holding him in her arms. "I've had my fair share of missions that made me go different places and be on constant guard the whole time." He didn't look happy about it. Draco sat down again, dragging his chair closer to Harry's now.

"I know." He said, softly. "It's not the best time. Believe me, I know. But who else would you send there? There is no one else. And hopefully there won't be anything going on and we can just go back again, like nothing happened. A small adventure."

Harry looked up at him with a look as if he didn't know if he should laugh or not.

"I thought you said you had strong belief that it was something to be worried about" he said, but he smiled now.

Draco ignored the comment.

"Yeah well, I'm not sure. You're in then? We can leave?"

"I have to talk to Ginny." Harry said, looking at the wall again. Draco thought it was kind of stupid that he did, it was obvious he wouldn't see anything through it. "But… yeah, if the ministry thinks it's the best shot we have."

"Great." Draco said and got up again. "I'll send an owl with further details, but be prepared to leave soon, okay? Remember we can't really apparate everywhere now, considering we don't know where we're going…"

"I know." Harry sighed, like he was starting to regret his decision to go. Draco seemed to notice this, because he quickly went to the door and got his cloak.

"I'll get back to you." He promised and opened the door. "Just don't…"

"I'm not gonna change my mind." Harry promised. Draco didn't know as if he believed him, but it still was enough. He got out of the door and Harry watched him walk down the street again, before apparating his way out of there. Harry closed the door. With heavy steps, he started to walk up the stairs, to tell Ginny about it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

Packing for a trip was always difficult. Especially difficult was it when you weren't really sure on where you're going, or how long you would be gone. Harry sighed as he put another sweater into a bag he had borrowed from Hermione Granger. It was a great bag, much alike the one she'd had with her on their search for the horcruxes when it came to space. Harry's did look like more like a sport's bag, but so far he had packed so much things he was unsure it could fit another sweater. Then he remembered the spell she'd put on it, and how it could take almost an uncountable number of objects. Harry picked up another pair of shoes, wondering if it would be necessary with warmer clothes, considering they were going north. He decided that it was, and he put down a pair of boots as well.

He had just started to believe he had control of things when someone knocked on the door. Surprised that someone actually knocked on his door he opened it, and outside was Ginny. She looked worried, and Harry was worried too, about the fact that she knocked on his door, their door, actually, and didn't just walk inside. She looked at him, with worry in her eyes. He felt like the biggest jerk ever for leaving her like this.

"I didn't want to bother you" she said, just as he started to say he was sorry about all this. They both stopped talking, Harry laughed, nervously, unsure of what to say.

"I won't be gone forever." He said, and touched her red hair with his fingertips. "I'll be back home with you too."

Ginny looked like she wasn't sure of that.

"Are you sure of this? I mean, do you really trust him."

Harry paused, but then he nodded.

"Of course I do. After everything we've been through, I simply just can't not trust him."

Ginny sighed, like she'd known this was coming.

"Well, if you say so." She said. "I think it's rather soon to be talking about this kind of trust… I mean, I know everything's changed since Hogwarts, but this? He's asking you to go to places you don't even know, Harry."

"It's not him." Harry defended both himself, and Draco. "The ministry wants us to go. I'm sure I'm not really the first one Draco would pick to go on a trip like this with."

Ginny raised one eyebrow, but she didn't say anything. Instead she looked at the bag on the bed.

"Did you pack everything?"

Harry nodded and closed the zipper on the bag.

"Yeah, pretty much everything. Will you send me an owl with the stuff I forget?"

"If I know where to send it to." She smiled faintly and gave him a soft kiss. Harry started to regret his decision to go. He buried his hands in her red hair for awhile, before slowly releasing himself from her grasp.

"Draco said we should get going as soon as possible." He explained, when he saw the disappointed look in her eyes. She sighed.

"James is gonna miss you, you know."

"I know, Ginny." Harry felt a sting of guilty conscience as he thought about the kid probably sleeping in his bed right now. "But you know I wouldn't go if it wasn't really necessary. They need me."

"You keep saying that." Ginny looked out the window, Harry figured she didn't want to look at him right now. "Are you really sure there's no one else, Harry? Someone who hasn't got a wife and kid waiting at home, someone who…"

"No." Harry lifted the bag from the bed to see if it was heavy. It didn't seem to weigh a thing. "I'm sure that if there was anyone else who could do this, they wouldn't ask me, or Draco for that mattered. He's got someone too you know."

"He and Astoria aren't even engaged." Ginny pointed out, as if this was important to take in. "I don't really think that it counts and…"

"Ginny." Harry interrupted. "We're not gonna argue about this, it's bad enough that I have to leave right now, I don't wanna leave you unless we're on… good terms, you know."

"Sounds like you're talking to Ron." Ginny pouted. Harry sighed. Of course she had to be difficult right now, when he really didn't need her to be.

"I just want us to be okay." He said, and patted her on the shoulder as if that would make it all good right away. Ginny looked at his hand and then shook it off her.

"We're fine." She said, but her voice was shaky. "I just don't want you missing any time with James."

"And I don't either." Harry complained. "But that's why I need to go, the sooner we finish this work, the faster I'll be home with you again."

"If you say so." Ginny walked out of the room again, and when she closed the door, Harry wasn't sure what to make of her mood.

Draco was waiting outside when Harry finally had sorted out everything that needed to be done before leaving.

"Kissed the misses goodbye?" he smirked, and Harry fired up.

"I'll punch that smirk out of you." He said, but Draco didn't seem to take it serious, he just laughed.

"I know it's not the best of time but we need to do this." He said, and held up an old can. "Here, it's a portkey. Set to go off any second now."

"To take us where?" Harry asked, as he put a finger on the can, preparing for the rough journey. Draco shrugged.

"Dunno. Hang on, Scar boy."


End file.
